Also 4–6 cryme. [a. F. crime, in 12th c. crimne, ad. L. crīmen judgment, accusation, offence, f. root of cer-n-ĕre, crē-tum to decide, give judgment, etc.]
1. An act punishable by law, as being forbidden by statute or injurious to the public welfare. (Properly including all offences punishable by law, but commonly used only of grave offences.)
1382. Wyclif, Acts xxxiii. 29. Hauynge no cryme worthi the deeth, or bondis.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xxviii. 287. Ȝif the kyng him self do ony homycydie, or ony cryme.
1526. Tindale, Acts xxv. 16. The Cryme wher of he is accused.
1607. Shaks., Timon, III. v. 83. If by this Crime, he owes the Law his life.
1769. Blackstone, Comm., IV. 5. A crime, or misdemesnor, is an act committed, or omitted, in violation of a public law, either forbidding or commanding it.
1832. Austin, Jurispr. (1879), I. xix. 417. An offence which is pursued at the discretion of the injured party or his representative is a civil injury. An offence which is pursued by the Sovereign or by the subordinates of the Sovereign is a Crime.
1867. Manch. Examiner, 10 Oct. With the moralist bribery is a sin; with the legislator a crime.
¶ A blunder worse than a crime: see BLUNDER sb. 2.
b. collective sing. Action of such kind viewed collectively or abstractly; violation of law.
1485. Caxton, St. Wenefr., 3. Hast slayn by cryme as an homycyde this noble vyrgyn.
1760. Goldsm., Cit. W., lxxiii. I was imprisoned, though a stranger to crime.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, viii. 72. Men steeped in crime.
1891. Gladstone, in Daily News, 3 Oct., 6/3. When they talk of crime in Ireland you must understand that the word bears a totally different meaning to what the word means in England.
2. More generally: An evil or injurious act; an offence, a sin; esp. of a grave character.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), 11. Longe after this began this cursed cryme.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 238 b. All ye crymes of ye tonge, as sclaunders … and prevy backbytynges.
1604. Shaks., Oth., V. ii. 26. If you bethinke your selfe of any Crime Vnreconcil’d as yet to Heauen, and Grace.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 214. That with reiterated crimes he might Heap on himself damnation.
1706. Addison, Poems, Rosamond, I. i. ’Tis her crime to be loved, ’Tis her crime to have charms.
1842. Miall, Nonconf., II. 1. If in future we should go astray, we can plead no excuse in extenuation of the crime.
b. collective sing. Wrong-doing, sin.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xxii. 74 (Harl. MS.). For no man may lyve without cryme.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. xii. 75. Whilest louing thou mayst loued be with equall crime.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 79. One next himself in power, and next in crime.
1865. Whittier, Laus Deo, ii. Ring, o bells! Every stroke exulting tells Of the burial hour of crime.
† 3. Charge or accusation; matter of accusation.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sec. Nun’s T., 455. For we bere a cristen name Ye putte on vs a cryme and eek a blame.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (1531), 66 b. To whome, they beynge most innocent, hath ben put the cryme of fornicacyon.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 92. The common people raysed a great cryme upon the Archbishop.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 1181. I rue That errour now, which is become my crime, And thou th’ accuser.
4. Comb.
1886. Ainslie, Reynard the Fox. The rascal Reynard, crime-bestained.
1889. Sat. Rev., 16 March, 329/1. [These] are both crime-novels.
1888. Pall Mall Gaz., 10 Oct., 1/1. The thief-takers and crime-preventers of London.
